First I would like to say Windows 10 is a wonderful product, a product I wasn't shy to recommend. But this end here and right now.

What Microsoft has done is outrageous, they started this with 1511, now this, I don't think they will stop. Let's call this what it is, it's a real SCAM.

We are not very pleased with the forced option to move to Enterprise not only for the cost, but by the fact Microsoft could decide in the future that if you're with a VL and not using cloud you could loose functionnalities too­...

When we started upgrading to Windows 10 Pro here we were told it was the same thing as Windows 7 Pro and it was true, but since 1511 it's not we aren't in full control of Windows anymore.

Microsoft betrayed it's business customers by driving us in trap, this is how we feel here and we're really really mad.

I've been pretty happy with the way I've got our Win 10 Pro locked down and running. Locking down the Windows store and various other things.However, this 1607 version of Pro stopping us from blocking the
"Microsoft consumer experience" is ridiculous.

Why would I want users to have crap like Candy Crush installed? That's the one reason I sought out that GPO setting and removed it. Although, with store.exe blocked via software restriction policy, it may not download. Who knows. I'll have to put it on a test machine and see.

It doesn't look like I'll be updating to the next version any time soon though. Who knows, we may even at some point drop back to Windows 7.

At least using WSUS should stop users from automatically getting any updates I've not allowed (here's hoping MS haven't sneaked something in that gets around that and updates them anyway.)

Yes, I wonder if SRP on store.exe will work to block both the Store and the junk promoted apps like Candy Crush from running/installing. Still not great because Software Restriction Policies are easier to bypass than other methods of blocking the Store.

Will a policy to block Microsoft accounts prevent users from logging into the Store to download apps?

I wonder if existing applications such as McAfee Application Control or some future product that's created in response to these changes will be able to block store apps from running or downloading.

There is a PowerShell command that can be used to completely remove the Microsoft Store. However, removing the Store is unsupported. Someone needs to test if the Store deprovisioning command even works anymore after the Anniversary update is installed.

It's pretty obvious that Pro is seen as a good market for some sales opportunities. Lots of people sat at desks wanting a distraction from work.Perfect money maker!In fact it may help cushion the expense of all those free upgrades...

Microsoft disabled the ability to block the Microsoft Store when the November 2015 update came out. People worked around that by enabling the policy to block all Store apps and dealt with losing access to a few useful Store apps such as the calculator because this was the lesser of 2 evils.

Now, for the Anniversary Update, Microsoft seems to have decided that Pro is still too functional for businesse environments. So, they have no removed the ability to block Store apps and to block promoted Store apps that automatically download with no user intervention.

Disabling the ability to turn off Windows tips and the Windows lock screen on Professional just seem petty and vindictive,

There are going to be a lot of very angry people complaining to Microsoft as they learn that the mandatory upgrades once or twice per year will be used by Microsoft to make negative changes to the OS.

What is Microsoft going to do next? Remove the ability for Windows 10 Professional to join Active Directory domains?

Is there any official post from Microsoft announcing these changes on Technet or other Microsoft sites? Only the Ghacks site and other sites reposting their info and makes me wonder if these changes are really true.

If it is true and Microsoft kept silent about it until it was discovered by third parties, it makes it look that much more shady.

Still not great because Software Restriction Policies are easier to bypass than other methods of blocking the Store.

How is SRP easy to bypass?

It isn't always "easy," but easier than other methods of restricting software.

If you Google "bypass software restriction policies" you will see many methods.

Looked, saw nothing to concern me. Yes, it does appear that if you aren't using SRP properly or don't have a well locked down network, people can get around it. Thankfully that doesn't apply to me, but I appreciate the heads up - it's nice to get a reality check every now and again, to remind me to check all my settings.

In the "Defer Upgrades and Updates" GPO, it mentions "If the 'Specify intranet Microsoft update service location' policy is enabled, then the 'Defer upgrades by.... ' settings have no effect".

As my machines look at my WSUS using the 'specify intranet update service location setting, (and it's also set to 'Do not connect to any Windows Update Internet locations) it would suggest that the 'Defer Upgrades and Updates' settings would have no effect. I'd assume that to mean I need to approve the upgrade in my WSUS server. Much like when 1511 became available in WSUS.

They can't expect business machines to just install a new version of Windows automatically and be offline best part of the day.

Still not great because Software Restriction Policies are easier to bypass than other methods of blocking the Store.

How is SRP easy to bypass?

It isn't always "easy," but easier than other methods of restricting software.

If you Google "bypass software restriction policies" you will see many methods.

Looked, saw nothing to concern me. Yes, it does appear that if you aren't using SRP properly or don't have a well locked down network, people can get around it. Thankfully that doesn't apply to me, but I appreciate the heads up - it's nice to get a reality check every now and again, to remind me to check all my settings.

We don't yet know if SRP is an effective method for blocking running the Store or existing Store apps after the Anniversary update even if users don't find ways around SRPs.

Still not great because Software Restriction Policies are easier to bypass than other methods of blocking the Store.

How is SRP easy to bypass?

It isn't always "easy," but easier than other methods of restricting software.

If you Google "bypass software restriction policies" you will see many methods.

Looked, saw nothing to concern me. Yes, it does appear that if you aren't using SRP properly or don't have a well locked down network, people can get around it. Thankfully that doesn't apply to me, but I appreciate the heads up - it's nice to get a reality check every now and again, to remind me to check all my settings.

We don't yet know if SRP is an effective method for blocking running the Store or existing Store apps after the Anniversary update.

This has not been proven to be true yet. So far, it seems it is only one person who may have been testing Insider versions of Windows. It isn't clear from the post that the blogger is using the final release of the Anniversary Update that gets released to the public next week.

I don't understand why Microsoft is not either confirming or denying the reported changes are true and why nobody is contacting Microsoft directly to get a comment about this news.

I will wait to report this to our company until I see confirmation from more than just Ghacks.net and articles just reposting info from that one web site.

The Register reported on it this morning, but they are just getting their info from the same Ghacks article.

This doesn't list everything mentioned in the Ghacks article, but it confirms things like lock screen and Start Menu ads can no longer be disabled in Windows 10 Pro after the Anniversary Update is installed.

Since its inception, Windows 10 has included a number of user experience features that provide useful tips, tricks, and suggestions as you use Windows, as well as app suggestions from the Windows Store. These features are designed to help people get the most out of their Windows 10 experience by, for example, sharing new features, providing more details on the features they use, or sharing content available in the Windows Store.

This seems really underhanded. What would happen if they removed major selling point like the ability to join a domain, or windows update for business? I'm sure there is something in the ToS claiming no responsibility to support anything, but recently Sony had to pay out for removing support for Linux on the PS3.

They probably wouldn't take away Windows Update For Business since it's small business oriented, but if these changes are true, I could see them later removing Pro from being manageable via WSUS and SCCM since larger organizations are more likely to use those.

They could say either move your Pro systems to WUB or upgrade to Enterprise if you want to manage via SCCM or WSUS.